Water signal



J. B. NEIL WATER SIGNAL Filed Mai'ch 21, 1924 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1:1

Mu u u u u u u yr' u Dec. 9, 1924-.

J. B. NEIL WATER SIGNAL Filed March 21, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec, 9, 1924. 1,519,041

J.' B. NEIL WATER S IGNAL Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH BROWN NEIL, F YORK, SOUTH CAROLINA.

WATER SIGNAL.

Application filed March 21., 1924. Serial No. 700,907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosnrH Brown NEIL, a citizen of the United States, residing at York, in the county of York and State of South Carolina, have invented a new and it will form a water curtain, fountain or the like which cannot be passed without notice.

Another object is to provide simple and efficient means for timing the discharge of water whereby, immediately after the train has passed the crossing, the water that has been discharged will act to reset the appa ratus.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a plan view, more or less in diagram, showing a railroad crossing and the signal apparatus combined therewith.

Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section through the housing of the signal mechanism, some of the parts therein being shown in section and some in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33, Fig. 2.

Fig. i is an enlarged transverse section through a portion of the track at a point remote from the crossing and showing one means for transmitting motion from a train to the signal mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of another form of train operated mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation more or less in diagram of another modified means for releasing the signal.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of one form of fountain that may be used as a signalling means.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference T designates a track and R designates a road crossin the track. Located adjacent one side of the road It at a point suitably removed from the track T, is a housing 1 provided, in its lower port-ion, with separate compartments 2 and 3 com municating through a port 41-. This port is controlled by a rotary valve 5. The compartment 2 is connected to a water supply by a pipe 6. This pipe may conduct water to compartment 2 from a water tank, from a water main, or from a motor driven pump or the like. in outlet pipe 7 extends from the compartment 3 and in the structure shown communicates with a spraying pipe 8 arched across the road R and extending to a sufiicient height to permit free passage of traiiic. This pipe is so perforated or apertured that when water is directed thereinto jets will be directed laterally toward the center of the road and additional jets will be projected downwardly from the top or cross portion oi the pipe. ()bviously various other means may be employed for delivering water within or across the road. A gutter 9 is located at a suitable point to receive the water after it has been discharged from pipe 8, and a drain pipe 10 extends from this gutter to a compartment 11 within housing 1. This compartment has an outlet 12 in the bottom thereof.

A lever 13 is fulcrumed within the housing and is provided at one end with a receiver 14 having an opening 15 in the bottom thereof normally closed by a flap valve 16 or the like. A weight 17 is adjustably mounted on the other end of said lever. A. link 18 is pivotally connected to lever 13 at a point below the receiver 14- and is also connected to a crank arm 19 rotatable with the valve Arranged under the receiver 14 is a waste pipe 20 having a fiared upper end 21 so located that when the receiver 14 is in its lowermost position, as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 2, the outlet 15 will be directly above and discharged into the flared end 2].. A bracket 22 is supported within the housing 1 and has a finger 23. This finger is adapted to project through the opening 15 when receiver 14 is in its lowermost position, thereby lifting the valve 16 and opening the outlet 15.

A latch lever 2 is fulcrumed in the housing 1 and has a shoulder 25 at its upper end adapted to engage the weighted end or lever ti l 13 and supportsaid lever in the position indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1. This latch lever 24 is held in engagement with lever 13 by a spring 26.

Various means may be employed for shifting lever 24: so as to release lever 13. In Fig. 2- a pressure pipe 27 has been shown with a piston 28 slidably mounted therein. This piston has a plunger 29 extending therefrom and bearing against one end of lever 24. A. spring 30 bears against the pistonso as to hold it normally against a stop 31. Pipe 27 can be extended to a point at any desired distance from the road B. As shown in. Fig. 4 this pipe can connnunicate with the bottom portion of an upstanding cylinder secured to one side of one of the rails of the track T. A lunger 33 is slidably mounted in this cyllnder and is yieldingly supported by a spring 34. Any suitable means such as a stop pin extending into a groove can be employed for limiting the upward movement of the lunger.

Under normal conditions the lever 13 is supported by the latch lever 24- as shown by broken lines in Fig. 2, the compartments 2 and 3' are filled with water, this water extending within pipes 7 and 8 up to the lowest aperture in the pipe 8. The pipe 27 and cylinder 32 are filled with any suitable liquid. The water in compartment 2 is under pressure from the contact with pipe 6 and valve 5 is closed. When train approaches the road It one of the wheels W will move onto and depress the plunger 33. This will result in the transmission of pressure from plunger 33 to piston 28. Consequently plunger 29 will press against the lower end of latch lever 2 L so that the opposite end thereof will be withdrawn from under the Weighted arm of lever 13. This will result in the lever 13 shifting to the position shown by full lines in Fig. 2 and rod 18 will at the same time pull on the crank arm 19 and open valve 5. Immediately following this operation the water contained Within the compartments 3 and 2 will be released and will flow upwardly into pipe 8 and be discharged in jets as before de scribed. This delivery of water across the road will continue until the amount of water discharged has drained back into the compartment 11 and thence into receiver t +1 will be of s'u'l'licient weight to swin lever 18 against the action of its weight 17 back to the position shown by broken lines in Fig. 2. As lever 13 moves to this position valve 5 will be closed, the weighted end of lever 13 will be moved into engagement with the upper end of lever 24, and the valve 16 will come against finger 23 and be opened thereby. Consequently the contents of the receiver 14 will drain into the waste pipe 20 and the parts will thus be reset.

Instead of utilizing the depressible plunger for transmitting pressure for actuat-ing a pressure fluid within pipe 27, a tripping lever 37 may be pivotally mounted close to the track, this lever being connected by a pitman 28 to a plunger working within a cylinder 39. Lever 37 can be provided with a pivoted. finger 10 adapted to receive the impact from a car wheel while moving in one direction along the track, thereby to actuate the plunger in cylinder 39. When a car wheel approaches the lever 37 from the opposite direction, however, finger 40 will be swung downwardly out of the path thereof without operating the plunger in cylinder 39. .1 device of this type is particularly adapted for use on a single track.

Another means 1'01. operating the latch lever 2 has been illustrated in Fig. 6. This includes a tripping lever -11 having a pivoted linger v A flexible connection 43 eX- tends from lever ll to the latch lever 4:4, this connection being mounted on suitable guide pulleys 25. Obviously, with a' construction such as described, lever i l will be retracted from normal position When the lever 41 is shifted by a car moving in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6.

it is to be understood that various changes can be made in the mechanisms illustrated for operating the latch lever.

What is claimed is 1. A. signal apparatus including a fountain, means for supplying liquid thereto under pressure, a valve normally closing communication between the fountain and its supply, normally restrained valve operating means, means operated by. an approaching train for releasing the valve operating means to open the valve, means for conducting waste liquid away from the fountain, and means operated by the waste liquid for successively closing the valve to cut off the supply.

2. in asignal apparatus the combination with a fountain, and means for trapping waste liquid, of means for supplying liquid under pressure to the fountain, a valve for controlling the supply, and means operated by the waste liquid for shifting the valve to cut off the supply.

3. A. crossing si nal including a fountain, and remote train operated means for controlling the rlow of liquid to the fountain.

a. A railway crossing signal including a fountain, means for supplying liquid thereto under pressure, and remote train operated means for establishing communication between the fountain and its supply.

5. A. railroad crossing signal including a fountain, means for supplying liquid thereto under pressure, means for collecting waste liquid from the fountain, remote train operated means for controlling communication between the fountain and its supply, 13v

and means operated by the Waste liquid for resetting the controlling means and cutting off communication between the fountain and its supply.

6. A railroad crossing signal including a fountain, means for supplying liquid under pressure thereto, means for collecting Waste liquid from the fountain, a valve for controlling communication between the fountain and its supply, train operated means for opening the valve, and means operated by the collected waste liquid for closing the valve.

7. A railroad crossing signal, a fountain, means for supplying liquid thereto under pressure, a valve for controlling communication between the fountain and its supply, a til-table member, a receiver carried by one end portion thereof, a Weight upon the other end portion of said member normally overbalancing the receiver, means for supporting the Weighted end of said member, a connection between said member and valve for maintaining the valve closed While the member is in engagement With the supporting means, train operated means for releasing the tiltable member to open the valve and elevate the receiver, means for conducting Waste liquid from the fountain to the receiver, thereby to return the tiltable member to its initial position with the valve closed, and means operated by the movement of the tiltable member under the weight of the waste liquid for opening the receiver to deliver the contents thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH BROWVN NEIL.

WVitnesses:

KATHERINE MOORE, ARLIE MoMAoKIN. 

